Brutus

Hi, I'm Brutus. Yes, I'm technically an adult dog... but spiritually I am a large, enthusiastic puppy who has not quite realized how big he is yet.<br/><br/>My favorite hobbies include:<br/><br/>• Melting dramatically into my person for pets<br/>• Supervising work calls by snoring in the background<br/>• Learning new things so I can hear “good boy” — my favorite phrase<br/>• Investigating whether every piece of furniture was secretly designed for me<br/>• Sniffing, searching, chewing, playing, and generally keeping life interesting<br/><br/>Seriously, if there is a couch, chair, ottoman, or suspiciously climbable surface nearby, I may attempt to scale it. Personal boundaries and “four paws on the floor” are still concepts I'm working on. Apparently not every piece of furniture was designed to hold 70 pounds of determined cuddle bug. News to me.<br/><br/>The good news is that I'm smart, people-focused, and genuinely enjoy training. I've been working with a professional trainer on skills like “Drop,” settling on a designated mat, calmly passing other dogs, and becoming comfortable wearing a muzzle as a positive training and safety tool. I'm making progress, and I'm the kind of dog who really benefits from someone who enjoys teaching and building a relationship with their dog.<br/><br/>I'm also learning an important life skill called relaxing.<br/><br/>Apparently a young dog cannot spend every waking moment chewing something, climbing something, chasing something, or asking his humans what we're doing next. Who knew?<br/><br/>I do best when I have appropriate outlets for my brain and body — sniffy walks, food puzzles, searching games, chewing, enrichment, training, and play — followed by help settling down and taking a nap. Once I'm settled, I am very committed to my daytime career as Professional Napper During Zoom Meetings.<br/><br/>I'm already a responsible dude in a lot of ways. I'm crate trained, potty trained, and I sleep through the night. I'm attentive to my people, love being involved in whatever they're doing, and form strong bonds with the humans I trust. If you want a dog who wants to be your sidekick and is very invested in figuring out what you want from him, that's me.<br/><br/>I had elbow surgery in May to help correct some joint issues, and I'm recovering well. My future family should be prepared to help me protect those joints with appropriate low-impact exercise, good weight management, and sensible household management while I continue getting stronger.<br/><br/>Long walks and adventures with my person? Excellent.<br/><br/>Launching myself off the furniture like a WWE wrestler? Apparently not part of my approved rehabilitation plan.<br/><br/>I do need an experienced home.<br/><br/>I have a history of resource guarding around food and some high-value items. I've made encouraging progress and am learning that giving something up can mean treats, another toy, or something even better coming my way. My humans have also learned safer ways to trade with me instead of grabbing things away.<br/><br/>That training and management will need to continue. I need adults who can read dog body language, respect my communication, make thoughtful exchanges, and avoid turning possessions into a confrontation. I'm a dog who does best when expectations are clear and interactions are predictable.<br/><br/>I'm also still learning my manners around other dogs. My trainer has seen encouraging progress: I'm getting better at calmly noticing dogs, moving past them, and making more polite choices. I can still become overexcited and I'm not ready to navigate dog relationships without thoughtful management.<br/><br/>For that reason, my placement plan is an adult-only home where I can be the one and only pet. Cats are not a match for me, either. A calm, structured household will give me the best opportunity to keep building on all the progress I've made.<br/><br/>My ideal person understands that I'm not a finished product. I'm a big adolescent dog with a lot of personality, a lot of affection, and a brain that is still learning how the world works.<br/><br/>Give me consistency, appropriate outlets, clear boundaries, continued training, and plenty of opportunities to make good choices, and I will work very hard for you.<br/><br/>In return, you get an affectionate, expressive, hilarious sidekick who will follow you around the house, supervise your meetings, celebrate every “good boy,” and absolutely lean his entire body weight against you when he decides it is time for pets.<br/><br/>If you're looking for a dog you can continue learning and growing with — and you appreciate a large cuddle bug with a little teenage chaos still under construction — I might be your guy.<br/><br/>— Brutus

Hi, I'm Brutus. Yes, I'm technically an adult dog... but spiritually I am a large, enthusiastic puppy who has not quite realized how big he is yet.

My favorite hobbies include:

• Melting dramatically into my person for pets
• Supervising work calls by snoring in the background
• Learning new things so I can hear “good boy” — my favorite phrase
• Investigating whether every piece of furniture was secretly designed for me
• Sniffing, searching, chewing, playing, and generally keeping life interesting

Seriously, if there is a couch, chair, ottoman, or suspiciously climbable surface nearby, I may attempt to scale it. Personal boundaries and “four paws on the floor” are still concepts I'm working on. Apparently not every piece of furniture was designed to hold 70 pounds of determined cuddle bug. News to me.

The good news is that I'm smart, people-focused, and genuinely enjoy training. I've been working with a professional trainer on skills like “Drop,” settling on a designated m

Hi, I'm Brutus. Yes, I'm technically an adult dog... but spiritually I am a large, enthusiastic puppy who has not quite realized how big he is yet.

My favorite hobbies include:

• Melting dramatically into my person for pets
• Supervising work calls by snoring in the background
• Learning new things so I can hear “good boy” — my favorite phrase
• Investigating whether every piece of furniture was secretly designed for me
• Sniffing, searching, chewing, playing, and generally keeping life interesting

Seriously, if there is a couch, chair, ottoman, or suspiciously climbable surface nearby, I may attempt to scale it. Personal boundaries and “four paws on the floor” are still concepts I'm working on. Apparently not every piece of furniture was designed to hold 70 pounds of determined cuddle bug. News to me.

The good news is that I'm smart, people-focused, and genuinely enjoy training. I've been working with a professional trainer on skills like “Drop,” settling on a designated mat, calmly passing other dogs, and becoming comfortable wearing a muzzle as a positive training and safety tool. I'm making progress, and I'm the kind of dog who really benefits from someone who enjoys teaching and building a relationship with their dog.

I'm also learning an important life skill called relaxing.

Apparently a young dog cannot spend every waking moment chewing some